textproduct: Rapid City

KEY MESSAGES

- Winds gradually decreasing today.

- Much cooler this weekend with chances for light rain and possibly snow for parts of the western CWA Saturday night into Sunday morning and again Sunday night into Monday.

UPDATE

Issued at 933 PM MDT Fri Oct 23 2026

Cold front is moving in faster than expected. Have adjusted the timing of the adv and added a few more zones. The bulk of the strongest winds are still expected after midnight. Still might be a few showers tonight across the SD Plains. Cooler Sat and dry. Upper low will move through Sunday into Monday, with a good chance of rain and snow on much of the western SD Plains, best chances across scentral SD. Some snow is also expected, with light accums possible Monday morning across SW SD. Drying out and warming up after Monday.

DISCUSSION

(This Evening Through Friday) Issued at 102 PM MDT Fri Oct 23 2026

Big changes are on the way to the area tonight. An area of low pressure tracking northeast west of the CWA will be the big source of our big weather changes.

Strong southwest winds are in place over the area today, bringing well above normal afternoon temps. A Red Flag Warning is in place in NE WY and NW SD through this evening. Campbell County has a High Wind Warning in effect until 6 PM MDT due to gusts over 60 mph. Winds will diminish this evening.

As the previously mentioned low pressure tracks east through southern Canada, a strong cold front will push through tonight. This front will swing winds to the northwest and increase speeds. Sustained speeds around 25 to 35 with gusts around 35 to 50 mph. A Wind Advisory has been posted for the zones that will likely see the strongest gusts around 45 to 55 mph. This Advisory will go into effect tonight at Midnight and expire at 9 AM Saturday. Saturday will still see gusty winds, but at this time, not to the level of needing the Advisory.

Temperatures will also be greatly impacted by this front, highs this weekend into next week will be in the 40s and 50s and overnight lows will be in the 20s and 30s.

As far as precip goes, as the front pushes through tonight, there is a slight chance for rain showers for parts of western SD. Then Saturday is looking dry and sunny. But Saturday night through Monday, a lingering upper level trough to the west will give the area surges of moisture that will be mostly rain but we can't rule out snow mixing Sunday morning and again Sunday night into Monday morning.

Next week looks to continue the cooler, near normal, temps with the occasional, short-lived, chances for showers.

AVIATION

(For the 12Z TAFS Through 12Z Sunday Morning) Issued At 549 AM MDT Sat Oct 24 2026

Strong northwest winds across the region are expected to gradually decrease today, and MVFR cigs over northeastern Wyoming including KGCC should break up and lift by around 14z/8am. Still seeing a few reports of sprinkles or light snow out of this cloud deck, but overall coverage is very limited and decreasing. VFR conditions are then expected for the rest of the day into most of tonight. Just beyond the current forecast period, chances of showers will begin to increase toward daybreak Sunday first over South Dakota, with increasing and lowering clouds as well. This kicks off an unsettled period for Sunday and Monday.

UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

SD...Wind Advisory until 9 AM MDT this morning for SDZ001-002-012>014- 026-030>032-041>043-072-073-077-078. WY...None.